Image processing device, stereoscopic image display device, and image processing method

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes an obtainer to obtain parallax images; first and second calculators; and first and second generators. The first calculator calculates, for each light ray defined according to combinations of pixels included in each display element, first map-information associated with a luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray. The first generator generates, for each parallax image, feature data in which a first value corresponding to a feature value of the parallax image is a pixel value. Based on feature data corresponding to each parallax image, the second calculator calculates, for each light ray, second map-information associated with the first value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray. Based on the first and second map-information, the second generator decides on luminance values of pixels included in each display element, to generate an image displayed on each display element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image processing device comprising:
 an obtainer configured to obtain a plurality of parallax images;   a first calculator configured to, for each of a plurality of light rays defined according to combinations of pixels included in each of a plurality of display elements that are disposed in a stack, calculate first map-information that is associated with a luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray;   a first generator configured to, for each of the plurality of parallax images, generate feature data in which a first value corresponding to a feature value of the parallax image is treated as a pixel value;   a second calculator configured to, based on the plurality of pieces of feature data respectively corresponding to the plurality of parallax images, calculate, for each of the light rays, second map-information that is associated with the first value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray; and   a second generator configured to, based on the first map-information and the second map-information, decide on luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements, to thereby generate an image to be displayed on each of the plurality of display elements.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second generator decides on the luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements in such a way that, greater the first value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray, higher is priority with which the luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray is obtained. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feature value exhibits a greater value in proportion to a likelihood of affecting image quality, and   greater the feature value, greater is the first value.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third calculator configured to, for each of the light rays, calculate third map-information that is associated with a second value which is based on whether or not the light ray passes through a visible area that represents an area within which a viewer is able to view the stereoscopic image, wherein
 based on the first map-information, the second map-information, and the third map-information, the second generator decides on the luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the second value in a case in which the light ray does not pass through the visible area is smaller as compared to the second value in a case in which the light ray passes through the visible area, and   the second generator decides on the luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements in such a way that, greater a result of multiplication of the first value and the second value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray, higher is priority with which the luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray is obtained.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the feature value represents either one of a luminance gradient of the parallax image, a gradient of depth information, a depth position obtained by converting the depth information in such a way that the depth position represents a greater value closer to a pop-out side, and an object recognition result defined in such a way that pixels corresponding to a recognized object represent greater values as compared to pixels not corresponding to the object. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feature value represents at least two of a luminance gradient of the parallax image, a gradient of depth information, a depth position obtained by converting the depth information in such a way that the depth position represents a greater value closer to a pop-out side, and an object recognition result defined in such a way that pixels corresponding to a recognized object represent greater values as compared to pixels not corresponding to the object, and   the first value is obtained based on a weighted linear sum of at least two of the luminance gradient of the parallax image, the gradient of the depth information, the depth position, and the object recognition result.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first value is normalized to be equal to or greater than zero but equal to or smaller than one. 
     
     
         9 . A stereoscopic image display device comprising:
 a plurality of display devices disposed in a stack;   an obtainer configured to obtain a plurality of parallax images;   a first calculator configured to, for each of a plurality of light rays defined according to combinations of pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements, calculate first map-information that is associated with a luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray;   a first generator configured to, for each of the plurality of parallax images, generate feature data in which a first value corresponding to a feature value of the parallax image is treated as a pixel value;   a second calculator configured to, based on the plurality of pieces of feature data respectively corresponding to the plurality of parallax images, calculate, for each of the light rays, second map-information that is associated with the first value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray; and   a second generator configured to, based on the first map-information and the second map-information, decide on luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements, to thereby generate an image to be displayed on each of the plurality of display elements.   
     
     
         10 . An image processing method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of parallax images;   calculating, for each of a plurality of light rays defined according to combinations of pixels included in each of a plurality of display elements disposed in a stack, first map-information that is associated with a luminance value of the parallax image corresponding to the light ray;   generating, for each of the plurality of parallax images, feature data in which a first value corresponding to a feature value of the parallax image is treated as a pixel value;   calculating, based on the plurality of pieces of feature data respectively corresponding to the plurality of parallax images, for each of the light rays, second map-information that is associated with the first value of the feature data corresponding to the light ray; and   deciding, based on the first map-information and the second map-information, on luminance values of the pixels included in each of the plurality of display elements, to thereby generate an image to be displayed on each of the plurality of display elements.